“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”  (1 John 1:9).

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Forgiveness brings you close to the heart of God and enlarges your capacity to love.

Jesus prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.” Be blessed as you look to Jesus and receive healing from any resentment or unforgiveness you carry.

Ask Jesus to help you forgive yourself. He removes your transgressions from you as far as the east is from the west. Feel His cleansing washing you and making you whole. Be blessed to be released from condemnation, self-judgment, or self-punishment. You are pure and blameless in His sight.

Ask Jesus to help you forgive anyone who has hurt you. Forgiving others doesn’t mean that what they did was OK or right. Forgiveness brings complete freedom to your heart and lets God be the judge of all things. Allow God’s grace to free you from the bondage of resentment and bitterness.

Ask your Father if you hold any bitterness or anger against Him about what He has allowed in your life. If painful events have distorted your image of God, receive His healing love and compassion. May your spirit and soul see those things from God’s point of view through His spiritual insight and understanding

(Colossians 1).

May the grace of God do the deep work of forgiveness in you. The Lord says though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool (Isaiah 1:18). Be blessed to choose to live from that freedom.

Be blessed in the name of Jesus who paid the complete price for sin.

By Sylvia Gunter
Used by Permission

From: Blessing For Life: Word Of Hope and Healing (p. 28)
© 2017 by Sylvia Gunter and Elizabeth Gunter.

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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The post Forgiveness can be found at Thoughts about God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9

Marvin, I, and a friend were driving through the Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California and stopped to take pictures of the cactus plants.

Norm asked me to take his picture standing beside a big cactus plant. What we didn’t realize was that the cactus prickles are a lot like porcupine needles. They hook the clothes skin, shoes — anything — of anyone who gets too close.

Well, Norm got too close and ended with his clothes and shoes covered in prickles. When Marvin tried to help remove them, they stuck to his hand. What to do? We didn’t have a pair of pliers or tweezers to pull them out.

We continued our drive — Marvin with a ball of cactus prickles clinging to his finger and Norm covered with them. Both men were in pain!

A short time later we came upon a car parked by the side of the road. We stopped and asked the occupant if he had a pair of pliers. He not only produced a pair, but proceeded to pull out all the cactus prickles. What relief! The kindness of this man was wonderful. He told us that he understood — he had made the same mistake.

Spiritual application? How often do we get too close to sin and then have to suffer the consequences. Too much food, alcohol, gambling, ungrateful attitudes, and criticism, to name a few. Often others near us get embroiled with the same sin.

But we have a Savior! Just as the man by the side of the road saved us, so Jesus will save us from our sins. He will forgive and remove them,

“He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Question. Are you stuck with sins that you can’t get rid of? Ask Jesus to do it. He will!

Pray this prayer. “Lord Jesus, I confess that I am caught in the sin of _______. I can’t get rid of it. Will You please forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness? Thank you so much! Amen.”

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

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• Finished with Sin
• The Sin Tracker
• A Lost Art

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The post Prickly Cactus can be found at Thoughts about God.

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” Mark 11:25 (KJV).

You and I have a way by which we can be absolutely certain of God’s forgiveness.

It is two-fold.

First, we must be sure that we have forgiven anyone and everyone against whom we may have anything or hold any resentment.

Second, we must believe His Word unquestioningly – and His Word does indeed tell us we will be forgiven when we ask under these conditions.

Most familiar, of course, is the glorious promise of 1 John 1:9,

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all uhteousness” (KJV).

Though today’s verse uses the word stand in reference to praying, Scripture clearly states that the posture in prayer was sometimes standing. God, however, looks on the heart rather than on our position as we pray.

If the heart is right, any posture may be proper. All other things being equal, however, the kneeling position seems more in keeping with the proper attitude of humility in our approach to God. (Physical condition, of course, sometimes makes this inadvisable or impossible.)

Most important, we are to forgive before we pray. That much is certain.

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:9-15 (http://www.biblegateway.com/)

Today: I will examine my heart throughout the day to be sure I have forgiven any who should be forgiven – before I pray.

By Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Feelings, Forgiveness and Peace | by Dr. Muriel Larson
• The Power of Forgiveness | by Dr. Henry Brandt

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

You probably know that the word “confession” means, “agreeing with God”. When we confess our sins we don’t do it to tell God what we’ve done. He already knows that. We confess to say, “Yes God, I agree that that was wrong” and then we can repent. But what God showed me recently was that there are two things God and I need to agree on, not just one.

So often in confession I’ve listed out my sins and sat there in quiet guilt. The list is always so long. This time God spoke to me. “We agree about what you’ve done, Claire.” He said. “Now can we agree about who you are?”

There in that private moment He brought to mind verses that spoke of God’s love for me. He reminded me how I am fearfully and wonderfully made, how I am chosen and precious and planned for. I sat there quietly until I could agree with God about that too. I sat there resting in God’s truth.

It is so easy to see our own flaws and shortcomings. But when God sees us He doesn’t only see what we’ve done, He sees who we are. There are two sides to confession. Agree with God about what you have done and repent, but don’t miss the other side. Agree with God about who you are: loved and wanted and precious and worth dying for.

In that moment of vulnerability that always comes with confession, let God love you. Walk out into the world forgiven.

Father, Thank you that because of Jesus I do not stand condemned. Help me to be quick to confess and quick to remember Your promises. Help me to understand what it means to be forgiven and keep my eyes fixed on You. Amen.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Confession is the first step.  If you don’t know Jesus in a personal way you can begin a relationship with him today. The first step is a prayer telling him you believe He is who He says He is and a second step is surrendering control of your will and life to him.  These can be communicated in a simple prayer (prayer is talking to God):

“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

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The post The Other Side of Confession can be found at Thoughts about God.